Department for Transport

Aviation: Drunkenness

baroness hayter of kentish town: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made, if any, of the risk posed to aviation and passenger safety by intoxicated air passengers.

baroness sugg: The Civil Aviation Authority, as the UK’s aviation safety regulator, keeps the risks posed to aviation and passenger safety under review. The Government has also committed to improving the consumer experience as a whole as part of the Aviation Strategy, due for publication mid-2019. Both safety and disruptive passenger behaviour have been specifically identified as key issues to explore and address as the strategy is developed. There are strong legal provisions in place to deal with the problem of disruptive behaviour. The main legislation under UK law relating to the rules of conduct on board aircraft is the Air Navigation Order (ANO), which carries severe penalties for disruptive behaviour. It is an offence under the ANO to enter an aircraft when drunk, or be drunk in an aircraft, carrying a maximum of two years in prison and/or an unlimited fine. In addition, the UK has state of landing and state of operator jurisdiction, which means that disruptive passengers on any flight that touches down within the UK can be charged and, if necessary, prosecuted. This is an issue that the Government is taking very seriously, the Home Office will shortly be publishing a Call for Evidence on revoking licensing laws to help address the problem of drunk and disorderly airline passengers.

Ports

baroness randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what factors have led to the four per cent reduction in freight exported through British ports in the year April 2017 to April 2018, as reported in the provisional quarterly statistics for major UK sea ports.

baroness sugg: The rolling year from June 2017 to June 2018 showed a reduction of 2% in total outwards tonnage transported through UK major ports, compared to the previous year. The second quarter of 2018 (April to June) showed a 4% reduction compared to the same period in 2017. Outwards tonnage includes both international exports and domestic traffic. We do not collect any more comprehensive data on quarterly figures other than what is given in the table. However, we have recently published the final figures for the calendar year 2017 (January to December) which include details on cargo categories and international exports. Total outwards tonnage through UK major ports marginally increased by 0.1% to 177.6 million tonnes in calendar year 2017 compared with the previous year. Of this, 136.6 million tonnes were international exports, an increase of 0.8% compared to the previous year. Compared with 2016, there was an increase in liquid bulk exports and a decrease in dry bulk and container exports in 2017.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Furniture: Fire Resistant Materials

the countess of mar: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will publish their response to the September 2016 consultation on necessary fire safety changes to the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988; and what account they will take of the December 2017 Chemosphere article Flame retardants in UK furniture increase smoke toxicity more than they reduce fire growth rate.

lord henley: The Department will publish its response to the consultation in due course. This will take account of the responses received, the views of experts from across government including the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Public Health England, the Food Standards Agency and the Fire Services, as well as a range of evidence from external sources such as academic papers.

Fire Resistant Materials

the countess of mar: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to promote the development of materials and products that meet fire safety requirements without the use of chemical flame retardants.

lord henley: The existing regulatory framework already allows for the use of materials and products that deliver consumer safety from fires, without using chemical flame retardants and the Government continues to welcome innovative approaches that deliver safe outcomes for consumers.

Furniture: Fire Resistant Materials

the countess of mar: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many meetings they have held or attended since the end of the consultation on the changes to the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 in November 2016 to discuss possible proposals; with whom; on what dates, and what, if any, were the outcomes.

lord henley: Details of ministerial meetings with external bodies are published on the Gov.uk website here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/beis-ministerial-gifts-hospitality-travel-and-meetings. A copy is also attached. Officials meet regularly with stakeholders with an interest in product safety to hear their views on a range of product safety issues including the fire safety of furniture.



BEIS Ministers meetings 2016-2018
(Word Document, 1.25 MB)

Timber

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to follow the EU’s new energy policy directive of promoting the use of wood as a renewable fuel after Brexit.

lord henley: The UK is committed to maintaining affordable, clean and secure energy supplies for businesses and households, and we recognise the potential of bioenergy in meeting these aims. The Government is currently in EU Exit negotiations and details of the nature of EU Exit arrangements will be announced in due course.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what further progress has been made to secure the permanent release in Iran of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, following her temporary release on furlough in August.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We remain very concerned about all our dual nationals detained in Iran. We continue to raise their cases with the Iranian Government at every opportunity, as the Minister for the Middle East did with the Deputy Foreign Minister in Tehran recently. We will make decisions in line with what we believe will produce the best outcomes in their cases. I refer the noble Lord to the Foreign Secretary’s comments in the House of Commons on 4 September.

Yemen: Military Intervention

lord judd: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the conclusions of the report by Human Rights WatchHiding Behind the Coalition: Failure to Credibly Investigate and Provide Redress for Unlawful Attacks in Yemen, published 24 August, that the Joint Incidents Assessment Team of the Saudi–UAE coalition lacks credibility and fails to provide credible, impartial and transparent investigations into alleged coalition laws-of-war violations; and whether, following that report, they intend to conduct their own investigation into the impact of air strikes and potential violations of international humanitarian law in Yemen.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK regularly encourages Saudi Arabia to conduct thorough and conclusive investigations into reports of alleged violations of international humanitarian law. The Coalition Joint Incident Assessment Team (JIAT) is unparalleled in the region.We welcome the release by the JIAT of the outcome of over 85 investigations into incidents of alleged breaches of international humanitarian law in Yemen. We continue to believe that Saudi Arabia has the best insight into their own military procedures, in line with the standards we set for ourselves and our allies.

Yemen: War Crimes

lord judd: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the finding by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in its reportSituation of human rights in Yemen, including violations and abuses since September 2014, published 17 August, thatit has reasonable grounds to believe that individuals in the government of Yemen and the Saudi–UAE coalition may have conducted attacks in violation of the principles of distinction, proportionality and precaution that may amount to war crimes.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: This UN report further underlines the deeply concerning human rights situation in Yemen and the importance of reaching a political solution to this conflict. We believe it is important to give the Group of Eminent Experts more time to fully examine the conflict and to ensure that its conclusions accurately reflect the conduct of all parties in future reporting. The UK joined the consensus on the Resolution that established the Group of Eminent Experts last year and we hope the UN Human Rights Council will renew its existing mandate this year.We regularly raise the importance of compliance with international humanitarian law with the Saudi Arabian Government and other members of the Coalition. The Saudi-led Coalition Joint Incidents Assessment Team has so far announced the findings of over 85 investigations.

Bahrain: Political Prisoners

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made, or intend to make, to the government of Bahrain about reports that the political prisoners Hajer Mansoor, Medina Ali and Najah Ahmed Yusuf are suffering in their cells from second-hand smoke and are banned from taking part in activities related to the Muharram religious festival; and, following any such representations, what assurances they have received that they will be moved to another cell and allowed to observe Muharram fully.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Our Embassy in Bahrain and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office continue to monitor the case of Hajer Mansoor, Medina Ali and Najah Ahmed Yusuf. We have raised the cases at a senior level with the Government of Bahrain.We understand family members of Mrs Mansoor have been in direct contact with the oversight bodies. The UK continues to encourage the oversight bodies in Bahrain to carry out thorough and swift investigations into any claims of mistreatment or other concerns about treatment in detention.

Hassan Mushaima

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the statement issued by the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy on 10 September in relation to the investigation conducted by the Bahraini Ombudsman into the case of political prisoner Hassan Mushaima.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​The Foreign and Commonwealth Office notes the statement issued by the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy on 10 September. As the Minister for the Middle East (Mr Burt) made clear in his response to a debate in the other place on 11 September, the Government of Bahrain have released a detailed public statement regarding the access to healthcare that Mr Mushaima has received since he has been in detention, and we have received categorical assurances that, in his case and others, there is and has been access to appropriate medical care while in detention. We have also received similar assurances regarding visitation rights and access to reading and writing materials.

Bahrain: Political Prisoners

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Bahrain about the Bahraini Ombudsman’s failure to ensure that political prisoner, Ali Hajji, has access to (1) family visits without a glass barrier; and (2) adequate medical care, following his hunger strike in response to his treatment in prison.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​The Foreign and Commonwealth Office and our Embassy in Bahrain continue to closely monitor the case of Ali Hajji and have raise it with the Government of Bahrain. We encourage those with concerns about treatment in detention to raised them with the appropriate Bahraini human rights oversight body. We continue to encourage the oversight bodies in Bahrain to carry out thorough and swift investigations into any such claims.

Bahrain: Human Rights

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to make any public condemnation of the human rights abuses taking place in Bahrain during the current session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We do not currently plan to refer to Bahrain at the current session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.As the Minister for the Middle East (Mr Burt) made clear in his response to a debate in the other place on 11 September, the depth and breadth of our relationship with Bahrain means we can, and do, express our concerns about human rights in a frank and open way at senior levels. We do so publicly, but more often do so in private discussions.

Bahrain: Human Rights

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the remarks made in the opening statement of the 39th session of the Human Rights Council by the High Commissioner for Human Rights on 10 September in relation to Bahrain; and whether they will join her call for Bahrain to release human rights defenders who are detained including Nabeel Rajab.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office notes the remarks made by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in her opening statement on 10 September. The Minister for the Middle East (Mr Burt) expressed his concerns on the five year sentence handed to Mr Rajab in his written statement of 21 February. We understand there is now an opportunity for Mr Rajab's legal team to apply for an appeal through the judicial system, and our officials will continue to monitor the case closely.

Bahrain: UN Human Rights Council

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to support Bahrain’s candidacy for a seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council in October.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​It is a longstanding policy of successive governments not to release the voting intentions of the United Kingdom at United Nations elections.

Sudan: Politics and Government

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the announcement by Field Marshal Bashir, President of Sudan, that he intends to seek changes to the constitution to enable him to remain in office.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK Government notes the recent announcement by the Sudanese National Congress Party (NCP) that it has selected President Bashir as its candidate for the 2020 Presidential election. Through bilateral engagement at Ministerial and official level, the UK continues to urge the Government of Sudan to implement swiftly the recommendations of the National Dialogue process and undertake political reforms that strengthen Sudan's democracy. This will ensure that the elections are free, fair, and inclusive. During a visit to Khartoum in August, the Minister for Africa urged the Government of Sudan to create a political environment that is conducive to freedom of expression and political affiliation. I also raised the importance of a stable and pluralistic political enviroment during my recent visit to Sudan in September.

Sudan: Foreign Relations

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what benchmarks they haveset for their forthcoming strategic dialogue with the Republic of Sudan.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The biannual UK-Sudan Strategic Dialogue provides an important platform for the UK and Sudan to raise issues of concern and discuss areas where we can work together. The Dialogue provides a framework for us to deliver on bilateral priorities, including the peace process, human rights, development, migration, trade, and counter-terrorism. Reviewing progress on these issues will form a central part of the next round of the Strategic Dialogue, scheduled to take place in October.

Sudan: Human Rights

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what reports from Sudan they have received over the past 12 monthsabout(1)the arrest of opposition politicians, (2) violations of religious freedom, (3) the arrest of journalists and bloggers, (4) the suppression of publications, (5) the lashing of women for failing to wear acceptable clothing, and(6) statements by Field Marshal Bashir calling for the reintroduction of amputations and executions.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Human rights remain a key priority for our engagement with the Government of Sudan, and we will continue to pursue our human rights objectives through the UK-Sudan Strategic Dialogue. During our recent visits to Sudan, the Minister for Africa, Harriett Baldwin MP, and I discussed the need for the Government of Sudan to make concerted efforts to improve the human rights situation.We have received a number of reports of restrictions on freedom of expression and the media, including the detention of opposition figures, the arrest of journalists, and the suppression of publications. We regularly raise these at a senior level with the Government of Sudan. Freedom of expression is a basic human right and we continue to make clear to the Government of Sudan that the Sudanese people must be allowed to exercise their rights freely.While there is generally freedom of worship in Sudan, our Embassy in Khartoum has had reports of a number of restrictions on freedom of religion or belief, including limitations to Christian school opening days, the demolition of churches, and the lashing of women. I held a roundtable with religious leaders during my recent visit, and raised these issues with the Government. The promotion of freedom of religion or belief as a means of enhancing tolerance and inclusion remains a key part of our engagement with Sudan.The UK continues to make clear our strong opposition to the use of the death penalty, and of mutilation as a punishment, in all circumstances.

Sudan: British Nationals Abroad

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their policyon civil servants, businessmen, or British visitors to Sudan meeting Field Marshal Bashir following his indictment by the International Criminal Court for genocide and crimes against humanity.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: British Government officials avoid all non-essential contact with individuals indicted by the International Criminal Court (ICC). We continue to abide by EU guidance that "essential contact" includes engagement strictly required for carrying out core diplomatic or consular activities.It is for private individuals to make their own decisions about whether to hold meetings with ICC indictees.

Sudan: Peace Negotiations

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their latest assessment of progress in the peace process in (1) Darfur, and(2) Blue Nile and Kordofan.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK remains concerned by the situation in Darfur and the Two Areas (South Kordofan and Blue Nile). We welcome the extension of the unilateral cessation of hostilities in Darfur by the Sudan Liberation Movement-Minni Minawi (SLM-MM), SLM-Transitional Council (SLM-TC) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) until 6 November 2018 and by the Government of Sudan until 31 December 2018. We urge all parties to the conflict to abide by these cessations of hostilities and to resume urgently the negotiations on a permanent ceasefire. We have encouraged the new leadership of the SPLM-N in the Two Areas to engage with the mediators to help us understand their aspirations for the peace process.The UK is disappointed not to have seen progress on the agreement of a permanent, country wide ceasefire and full humanitarian access to all conflict areas since the AUHIP Roadmap was signed in 2016. The peace process should not be held back by wider political disagreements. We therefore urge all sides to lose no further time in returning to the negotiating table.

Christopher Allen

baroness northover: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers byLord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 12 September (HL9993, HL9994, and HL9995), what steps they have taken to support any requests from the government of the United States to the government of South Sudan to undertake an investigation into the killing of dual British American citizen Christopher Allen in South Sudan in August 2017; and what steps they have taken independently of the government of the United States to ensure that a fair and rigorous investigation into the killing takes place.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The US Government regularly lobbies the Government of South Sudan to conduct a thorough investigation into the killing of Christopher Allen in August 2017, and UK officials in Juba remain in close contact with their US counterparts to support these efforts. Mr Allen's family have not contacted UK officials seeking independent action by the UK.The Government of South Sudan is responsible for grave human rights violations committed by its own forces, and has failed to meet its obligations to protect its citizens, allowing a culture of impunity to persist. Parties to the conflict deliberately target and kill civilians in the knowledge that their crimes will go unpunished. Journalists and aid workers are also targeted with impunity. The targeting of those like Mr Allen who are reporting on the crisis or delivering aid is barbaric and must cease immediately.

Syria: Chemical Weapons

lord west of spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports of jihadist groups in Idlib filming and preparing statements to prove a chemical attack on the inhabitants of the city has taken place.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: These reports, produced by the Russian Ministry of Defence, fit into a wider Russian disinformation campaign which includes absurd and baseless insinuations about the UK. The campaign is a desperate attempt to deflect attention from the appalling crimes of the Asad regime, including its documented and repeated use of chemical weapons. We are clear that this Russian disinformation campaign is designed to distort, distract and confuse the facts. In the last couple of years, the Syrian regime and its Russian backers have repeatedly hidden behind the rationale of confronting terrorism to launch brutal, indiscriminate campaigns, killing countless children and civilians in the process. If they do the same in Idlib, they will cause a human disaster that could leave thousands dead and many more homeless.

Department for Education

Mature Students: Part-time Education

lord allen of kensington: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to increase the number of mature students studying part-time for level 4 and level 5 qualifications in England.

lord agnew of oulton: Studying part-time and later in life can bring considerable benefits for individuals, employers and the economy. For the first time this academic year, part-time students will be able to access full-time equivalent maintenance loans.The Review of Post-18 Education and Funding will look at how we can encourage learning that is more flexible, like part-time, distance learning and commuter study options.In addition, the Department for Education is undertaking a review of level 4 and 5 education, focusing on how technical qualifications at this level can better address the needs of learners and employers.As part of the review, we want to ensure that any considerations are properly addressed and that provision helps support progression for learners of all backgrounds, including young people and more mature learners looking to upskill or retrain.We expect to publish level 4-5 proposals for consultation alongside the conclusion of the Post-18 Review in early 2019.

Ministry of Justice

Prisoners: Foreign Nationals

lord browne of belmont: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many current prisoners in England and Wales are (1) citizens of other EU member states, and (2) non-EU citizens.

lord keen of elie: As at 30 June 2018, 9,066 Foreign National Offenders were held in prisons in England and Wales and the HM Prison and Probation Service run Immigration Removal Centre. Of these, 3,905 were from other Member States of the European Union (EU). The remaining 5,161 were from non-EU countries.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Holiday Accommodation: Waste Disposal

baroness gardner of parkes: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of short-term holidays lets on the capacity of local authorities to provide sufficient domestic and business rubbish collections.

baroness gardner of parkes: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether local authorities require any additional support or powers to address any increases in the amount and frequency of waste to be disposed of as a result of short-term holiday lets.

lord gardiner of kimble: Waste arising from short-term holiday lets is regarded as commercial waste and in accordance with Section 45(4) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 local authorities are able to levy a charge for its collection. The Government has therefore not made an assessment of whether local authorities require additional support or powers to address any increases in the amount and frequency of waste to be disposed of as a result of short-term holiday lets.

Home Office

Passports: Fraud

lord campbell-savours: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of UK passports(1) in circulation, and (2) potential circulation that are the subject of fraudulent production.

baroness williams of trafford: Her Majesty's Passport Office does not monitor or record data on British passport holders who enter or leave the UK. On 31 December 2017, there were just under 50 million valid UK passports in issue that were not cancelled, lost or stolen. This data is calculated at the end of each calendar year.HM Passport Office does not estimate the numbers of passports which might have been obtained fraudulently but the following table details the detections of fraudulently obtained passports in the last five years.Financial YearFraudulently Obtained document detections2013/141,2232014/155482015/161,0132016/175592017/18515

British Nationality: Hong Kong

lord craig of radley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 6 July (HL9019), what decision they have reached following their active consideration of the request of 301 former British Hong Kong servicemen to be granted British citizenship.

baroness williams of trafford: Further to my response of 6 July, we continue to actively consider representations made on this issue, including those provided recently by the noble Lord.